Judicial Watch is the leading organization investigating the Benghazi attack of September 11, 2012 which killed Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans. We have filed 12 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests with various government agencies and have three on-going lawsuits. This is all in the effort to force the government to provide more documents and transparency on this overlooked tragedy. Judicial Watch is also seeking to acquire additional information from the survivors of the attack. If there are any Benghazi secrets to uncover or corruption to expose, you can count on Judicial Watch to lead the way.

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Judicial Watch even produced a Special Report: The Benghazi Attack of September 11, 2012: Analysis and Further Questions from a Diplomatic Security Service Regional Security Officer and Special Agent closely examining the Obama administration’s actions before, during, and after the assault, as well as the State Department’s commitment to protect overseas diplomats. The new report contains in-depth analysis, conducted exclusively for Judicial Watch by former State Department Security Special Agent Raymond Fournier, examines the critical time period leading up to the Benghazi attack, when repeated requests for increased security were shunned by top State Department officials. It also examines the Obama administration’s official claim that “an obscure Internet video” triggered the attacks, as well as apparently false claims that four top State Department officials had resigned in response to the Department’s December 18 Accountability Review Board report on the attack. And it raises questions as to the internal problems within the Department that may continue to leave overseas diplomats without adequate security.

On February 14th, 2013 we sued the Director of National Intelligence seeking access to records detailing the attack. Specifically, Judicial Watch is seeking a controversial “speaking points” memo indicating that intelligence officials believed from the outset that terrorists were behind the attack despite public statements to the contrary issued by Obama administration officials, including UN Ambassador Susan Rice and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. You can read the lawsuit here: Judicial Watch v. Office of the Dir. of National Intelligence (No. 13-0198)

On February 25th, 2013 we filed another FOIA lawsuit against the U.S. Department of State seeking access to “all videos and photographs” depicting the Benghazi, Libya, Consulate between September 10 and September 13, 2012, the period leading up to, during, and immediately following the attack. You can read that lawsuit here: Judicial Watch v. U.S. Department of State (No. 1:13-cv-00242)). Specifically, Judicial Watch seeks the following records pursuant to its December 19, 2012, FOIA request: “Any and all videos and photographs depicting U.S. Consulate facilities in Benghazi, Libya (including the Special Mission Compound and the Annex) between September 10, 2012, and September 13, 2012 that were provided to the Accountability Review Board (ARB) for Benghazi and/or to any individual member of the ARB.”

We filed our third FOIA lawsuit on March 5th, 2013 against the U.S. Department of State seeking access to records concerning a contract totaling nearly $400,000 that was awarded to a foreign firm for “Security Guards and Patrol Services” at the Benghazi Consulate prior to the deadly attack of September 11, 2012. The contract was signed on February 17 and May 3, and, at the time, identified only as “Award ID SAQMMA12COO92”. At first the State Department denied hiring security guards, then admitted having provided false information after this WIRED magazine expose. You can read the lawsuit here Judicial Watch v. U.S. Department of State (No. 1:13-cv-00243).

You can see all filed FOIAs and Lawsuits below under “Official Legal Documents”

To read more about our lawsuits or FOIA requests, please click on the respective press release under “Press Room” below.

UPDATE: 9-9-2013

Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton moderated a Benghazi panel discussion with Congressman Frank Wolf (VA — 10) and Judicial Watch Director of Investigations and Research Christopher Farrell. The panel focused on the American public’s unanswered questions regarding the attack. Rep. Frank Wolf detailed his efforts calling for a bipartisan House Select Committee to fully investigate the terrorist attack. Also, Charles Woods, the father of Benghazi victim Navy SEAL Ty Woods, asked us to read a special statement.

UPDATE: 1-14-2014

Last week JW joined forces with surviving Benghazi family members, U.S. military leaders and other top conservatives to call House Speaker John Boehner on the sad and pathetic job he’s doing investigating the tragedy.

UPDATE: 1-29-2014

On October 18, 2012, JW filed a Freedom of Information (FOIA) request with the Department of State seeking the following:

1) Copies of any updates and/or talking points given to Ambassador Rice by the White House or any federal agency concerning, regarding, or related to the September 11, 2012, attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya.

2) Any and all records or communications concerning, regarding, or relating to talking points or updates on the Benghazi attack given to Ambassador Rice by the White House or any federal agency.

The State Department failed to make a determination or notify JW whether it will comply with the FOIA request within the time allowed by the Act. As a result, JW filed suit against State on June 21, 2013, for failure to comply with the Act and requesting Defendant’s production of non-exempt responsive documents.

To date, two batches of documents have been produced. The first consists of 1192 pages of daily press clips from the United States Mission to the United Nations, dated September 12-28. The documents were released in full and contain nothing beyond published news stories. The second production consists of 67 pages of emails. The majority of the content is withheld as deliberative process and/or attorney-client privilege, aside from three prepared talking points sent to members of Congress on September 15, 2012 (quoted below).

“–The currently available information suggests that the demonstrations in Benghazi were spontaneously inspired by the protests at the US Embassy in Cairo and evolved into a direct assault against the US diplomatic post in Benghazi and subsequently its annex. There are indications that extremists participated in the violent demonstrations.

–This assessment may change as additional information is collected and analyzed and as currently available information continues to be evaluated.

–The investigation is on-going, and the US Government is working with Libyan authorities to bring justice to those responsible for the deaths of US citizens.”

UPDATE: 2-14-2014

According to an unclassified map obtained by Judicial Watch, the U.S. military had a multitude of forces in the region surrounding Libya when terrorists attacked the Special Mission in Benghazi and murdered four Americans.